


Please Don’t Leave

by tallychan028



Series: Caitlin Trevelyan One-Shots [4]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluffy piece, I love writing these, Prompt Fic, Winter Palace fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2015-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-16 14:57:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3492620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tallychan028/pseuds/tallychan028
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen struggles with his unfortunate situation at Halamshiral. All he wants is to plan soldier movements and investigate. </p><p>All those gathered at the Winter Palace want to investigate him!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Please Don’t Leave

_I cannot believe I’m doing this._

If someone had told me last year that I would find myself associating with members of high Orlesian society, I would’ve called them mad.

Yet here I am, surrounded by a group of nobles who insist on making me as uncomfortable as possible.

“Are you married, Commander?”

“Not yet, but I am… already taken.” I hesitate to say much more than that to avoid another onslaught of comments about my personal life. For a moment I almost consider the matter dropped until that particularly  _insistent_  nobleman responds.

“Still single then.”

Andraste preserve me. It wasn’t even a question, it’s a bloody statement.

How am I supposed to watch for danger and organize the Inquisition’s forces if I can’t have a moment of peace?

“Commander, has anyone ever told you that you have the most remarkable eyes?”

_Ten times._

“Several times this evening, in fact.” My patience is wearing thin. I have an important job to do, I will not allow these masked busybodies to interfere any further.

I attempt to walk away from the literal crowd of gawking gnats who have gathered around me before my entire world grinds to a shocking halt.

I feel a hand  _caress_ my hindquarters. One of them has gone so far as to actually touch me!

“Did you just grab my bottom?!”

“I am a weak man.” It’s the same man from earlier, ‘still single then’ man. I consider pressing the issue further until I can  _feel_ the Lady Ambassador’s glare. I brush it off, but I fear that it does nothing to encourage these nobles to leave me alone.

I’m doomed.

I resign myself to an evening of further embarrassment at the hands of the Orlesian court until I see  _her_ speaking to Josephine.

The Inquisitor claims to have spent the better part of her life in the Ostwick Circle, but a part of me finds that very hard to believe as I watch her interact with the nobility gathered tonight.

Perhaps she can owe it to the weeks preparing with Josephine and Leliana for the event, but she is undoubtedly doing a splendid job. She speaks to every noble with an air of confidence that demands respect without being rude.

I know that she was definitely raised to be Lady Trevelyan, a Bann’s daughter, but I have only known her as Caitlin. This typically quiet and reserved woman is now playing The Grand Game with remarkable efficiency, I am shocked.

So much is riding on this evening. We have all prepared for this, so her change in demeanor should not surprise me, in fact I should be proud of her ability to adapt so well. And I am, professionally speaking.

Personally though, I do not like that she is so different. Her words and movements are perfectly timed and undoubtedly effective, but they are not sincere. The way she maintains constant eye-contact and does not stutter in the slightest is so unlike her it’s almost intimidating as I am reminded of a time when she was so rigid and guarded with me when we first met.

Then I catch it. It is brief, but she glances at me and smiles. A part of me wishes I could beckon her over and we may escape this horrible gathering, I just know that I cannot be the only one hating this.  

She does eventually make her way through the crowd of people surrounding my post. Her calm demeanor shifts as I notice a confused look cross her face.

“You’re quite popular aren’t you? Who are all of these people?”

“I don’t know! But they won’t leave me alone.” She does not smile at that, knowing better than most how much I dislike to be crowded or distracted. The two at the same time is maddening.

“If you’d like to slip away later, could you save a dance for me?”

“No, thank you though.”

“Oh.”

 _Maker why did I have to go and say that?_ My first chance this evening to speak to her alone and I go and screw it up.

“No! Maker’s breath, I didn’t mean it like that. I’ve been asked so many times tonight I’m rejecting it automatically.” I try to make it seem like I didn’t outwardly reject her in front of the crowd of people. “I’m not one for dancing, the Templars never had us attend balls”

“I take it you’re not enjoying all of this attention tonight then?”

“Likely as much as you’re enjoying it. If it were up to me, the only attention I would have to look forward to would be yours.”

“W-what?” Ah. There is the Caitlin I know.

“Of course.” I drop my voice down so that only she may hear my next words. “Yours is the only attention worth having.” Finally, I notice that beautiful, genuine smile appear.

_Thank the Maker I salvaged that conversation._

For a few precious moments we plan our next move and I give her my opinion on who to support. It is her decision of course, but I still think that Gaspard is the best choice. While we speak alone, away from those pestering nobles, I am finally able to enjoy some water and get a good look at the perimeter where my men are placed.

It is wonderful.

“I’ve spent too much time away from the Court’s eyes. I really should go back out there.”

And now it’s over. I cannot help but sigh as I watch her put her water glass down on the table before walking away from our spot.

Without thinking clearly, I reach out and tug on her forearm lightly, bringing her closer to me.

“I wish you didn’t have to leave, promise me you’ll be careful?”

“I promise. I’ll be back soon.” She says with a smile before walking back over to Leliana and Josephine once again.

As soon as she leaves, I find myself surrounded by the  _same_ group of people.

“Commander, has anyone ever told you that you have the most remarkable eyes?”

_Eleven times._

“Several times this evening, in fact.”

Caitlin could not return soon enough.


End file.
